Breathing Winter
by baybegrl0703
Summary: For the past 5 years Arya has travelled with Gendry and Hot Pie. They aim to find the King of the North, and ultimately bring the wolves of Winterfell together again in the North. Along their journey, they deal with jealousy, anger, murder, vengenance, death and pain. Love isn't easy...going home is a challenge, but Arya is going to try...no matter the cost. AU Arya is 17
1. Remembering

AU: Arya is 17 and Gendry is 20. I kept some characters alive that GRRM killed off so things are happening differently and some things don't happen at all. This has been in my head for days and just need to get it out! Arya and Gendry never separated, but rather they travelled together with their goal being to find her surviving family.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. It all belongs to GRRM!

The air seemed to dry before her very eyes. It was like the moisture was being sucked from it. The wind grew harsher and seemed to cut her cheeks. She welcomed it. Welcomed the feeling of having a pain to feel other than the pain of her losses.

_Winter is coming._ She thought and her thoughts instantly floated away from the weather and to King's Landing. To when Joffrey had ordered her father's head to be cut off for treason.

Her fingers curled in clawing at her palms as she thought of the monstrous craven. Father had always said that the man who ordered the death should swing the sword; otherwise a man would forget what death was.

Joffrey was no man….he was a craven, and she would kill him once she had the chance. She closed her eyes tried to empty her mind. She needed to focus for the road ahead of them.

Arya idly wondered what her siblings looked like. She had only been two and ten when Yoren took her from Kings landing. Sansa had been the last of her family that she had seen. Yet she had heard the rumors. Her mother had been killed at the Red Wedding, and Rob badly wounded but alive. Bran and Rickon were presumed dead from the hands of Theon and Jon….Jon was at the wall as the 998th Lord Commander.

Arya was an orphan, they all were, but she would have her justice. Hot Pie, Gendry and herself were travelling to find Rob and from there on she hoped to join him in freeing Sansa before Joffrey could hurt her. _I will find my family and we will avenge our parents. The Freys and Lannisters will suffer as my family has._ Before Arya could continue her thought she heard a twig snap behind her.

She didn't turn. She didn't need to.

He settled down next to her and bumped his shoulder into hers.

"It's getting colder Arya. You shouldn't be out here without a cloak."

She looked at him then, at his piercing blue eyes that seemed to see into her very soul.

"I'm from the North, Gendry" she replied "winter is coming, and I…we… will think of this morning as warm." She cracked a smile at him then knowing he always worried about her even when she was perfectly fine, he worried.

He huffed and breathed out a hot pocket of air, and then he smiled at her, saying "We should wake Hot Pie and get going then. I'd like to be inside somewhere when this winter of yours does get here. I rather like my fingers and toes intact m'lady."

Instantly she reached out to push him, but he caught her wrist and pulled her around laughing.

"I am not a lady!" She huffed pulling her hands to her chest and pushing back against him, but he was too used to her violent antics. His eyes twinkled with amusement and he knowingly taunted her again, "M'lady this is not ladylike behavior at all! Hitting men is quite…"

He didn't get to finish his taunt because her hand had finally found purchase and she was able to push him hard enough that he fell backwards into the drying grass.

Her other wrist was still captured in his hand and so she fell down with him landing on top of him. His laughter echoed throughout the woods and she couldn't help the smile that tore across her face as she laughed with him.

He always knew how to make her laugh. After 5 years of travelling with him she knew everything about him, and he, she thought, knew everything about her.

She rolled off of him and turned on her side to look at him, as he did her. They laid there smiling at each other and he gently reached over and brushed a strand of her chestnut hair back behind her ear.

She felt the need to stop breathing as his hand brushed over her cheek so gently and she closed her eyes briefly to relax. Only once she opened them she found Gendry still staring at her.

He was lying on his side with his arm supporting his head. His coal black hair flopped lazily over his forehead. It had grown past his eyebrows and he had reluctantly allowed Arya to cut it with a dagger so it did not interfere with his line of sight.

Her own hair now touched her shoulders now. Both Gendry and Hot Pie insisted it was useless to keep chopping it short since, in their opinion, there was no hiding that she was a girl anymore. Arya didn't see whatever it was they saw.

She still felt like the horseface girl that the ladies of the North made fun of. Even though she had flowered 2 years ago and her body had since developed curves, Arya still thought of herself as boyishly thin and unattractive. Regardless, she was a woman now, why hide it, she thought and so she agreed to not continue to chop her hair.

"Alright enough with relaxing! We have your brother to find!" Gendry interrupted her pointless thoughts.

Arya blinked furiously to pay attention to the man before her. He pulled them up and brushed the dead leaves out of hair. "Come on m'lady" He said smirking and then ran off to find Hot Pie.

Arya ran off after him prepared to yell at him, and just as she caught up with him she stopped short.

There before her, Hot Pie stood over a breakfast of fruit and bread and 2 small packages wrapped in dirty rags.

She blinked and looked up at the two men before her. It was a small gesture, but still…it meant the world to her. "You remembered!" Truly, she should not have been so surprised, but she was. Since Arya had revealed her 13th name day had passed without fuss, they had always remembered her name day, and yet she was always amazed they remembered that they cared.

Hot Pie walked up to her and gave her a gentle hug, "Happy name day Arya! This one is from me!" He said thrusting one of the small packages into her hands. "I thought you could use it since yours is so worn."

She smiled at him as she opened the small gift, letting the rag gently drop. Inside was a solid but strong strip of leather, like the one she used to tie her hair back when she felt uncomfortable with it blowing in her face.

Hot Pie was right, hers was worn and breaking, she could barely even use it anymore.

"Thank you so much Hot Pie!" she said giving him a tight hug. "I'm starved! I haven't had fruit in what feels like forever!" she exclaimed as she knelt down and grabbed an orange.

"Gendry made a deal with a vendor in the town over in the East, he agreed to haul his loads in and out of his cart every morning this past week for it." Hot Pie said in-between bites of bread.

"That's where you've been ducking out to every morning you liar!" she said as she reached out to push him. Gendry just looked down bashfully saying, "You deserve to have something special. You're ten and seven today." Then he reached out and handed her the other small package handing it to her.

She took it smiling, and began to uncover the item that laid in-between the folds of the broken cloth. "O Gendry, it is beautiful!" she exclaimed as she stared at the item in her hands. He smiled then looking at it, "I made it myself, I had to barter time in the forge helping the local armorer, but he let me have a steel scrap as payment for my help.

In her hands Arya held a necklace, but it wasn't made of gold or any colorful stones. It was a plain leather cord that wrapped around a small steel circle. The steel was cold, but smooth. There was no pattern or design. It was basic and that made it all the more precious to Arya.

Arya quickly lifted it over her head and put it on, and it fell below her collarbone, landing neatly in-between her breasts. She rubbed her thumb over the cold edges of the circle, tracing it.

"I know you hate anything remotely feminine, but I just felt like I wanted to give you a little piece of me….to always have, and it's simple and beautiful….to me it is anyway….like you." Gendry basically muttered the last part, but Arya heard him.

Before he could look up, Arya had lunged herself at him hugging him close to her. "I love it Gendry. It is perfect." She whispered in his ear as she clutched him to her. She felt his arms come around her, tightening around her body, securing her to him.

Being so close to him was natural to her, but this felt different. It felt as if they were still so far and she needed to be closer. A tightening in the pit of her stomach coiled as Gendry's hands opened across her back to hold her to him. It was innocent, but Arya could not help the feeling within her own body as she somehow scooted closer to him.

Any closer and she would be in his lap… that just made her all the more anxious to keep going though.

"Ummm guys," Hot Pie interrupted and Arya quickly pulled herself away from Gendry, taking notice of how his hands stayed firmly on her as if he did not want to let her loose.

She took notice of how he was staring at her, an unreadable expression on his face, and she quickly looked away and grabbed a piece of bread stuffing it into her mouth.

They ate all of the fruit of the breakfast enjoying it as today was meant to be a celebration, but experience had taught them to save the bread regardless of it being her name day. Rationing had kept them alive in the past, and hunger was a horrible feeling….especially for Hot Pie…who always seemed to be hungry.

They started on their travels. Heading to Riverrun, where rumors claimed they could find her brother. If they walked until nightfall, they could make it there within 3 days time.

A few hours had passed when they felt the ground shaking from the hooves of horses. A moment later they heard the shouting of voices. Quickly, Hot Pie dove into the brush closest to him keeping their pack of food and medicine and supplies close by his side.

It was not cowardly, it was what Arya and Gendry had trained him to do…to hide and to protect their resources. Hot Pie was not a fighter…..but he was brave, and his bravery often lead to situations he count not handle and so this was what worked best for the trio.

Arya and Gendry hurried to the other side of the road rushing ahead. Arya kept her hand on needle in case she needed to draw it and she saw Gendry's hand resting on the dagger he kept tucked into his waistband.

If seen they would claim to be siblings fleeing from a raid, and hopefully they would be left and forgotten. But things never seemed to turn out quite so fortuitously in their case.

They stopped behind a large brush, and behind them was nothing but trees and woods. Gendry turned to Arya then and quietly looked at her. Silently willing her with his eyes to not be brave and foolish.

Annoyance filled her….he always felt the need to protect her. She had killed men, by his side and yet he still wanted to protect her like some little lady. Her thoughts ceased though as she heard the shouting increase in volume.

They were getting closer.

Suddenly she felt Gendry's hands at her chest. He was lifting her new necklace up and he pulled it to the top of her shirt dropping it on the inside so it was not visible. He was so close to her. So close and the cold of the circular pendant felt like ice on her skin.

Without thinking she raised her hand away from needle and laid it on Gendry's chest, taking a step closer to him. She looked up at him forgetting the horses and men. Forgetting the potential danger, and she took another step. They were mere inches apart now and Gendry looked down at her. Confusion itched into his face, but his eyes had darkened considerably.

He opened his mouth to speak, but instead a different voice rung out. A voice Arya would never forget, one that sent chills throughout her body as hatred filled her. She felt Gendry's muscles tense and tighten.

"Well, well…what do we have here?"

Years had passed since Harrenhal, but those days had been seared into Arya's memory.

She reached to her side for needle, but another hand grabbed her wrist throwing her hand against him while his other hand grabbed her other wrist bringing her against him completely.

"Let her go!" She heard Gendry scream as he punched one man down into the ground ignoring the man's blade as it cut across his arm. Blood seeped through Gendry's shirt and Arya bucked against the man holding her hands against him. His laughter sent her into a rage and she threw her head backwards against her captor.

The pain of the hit was nothing compared to the satisfaction of hearing the man's nose break under her skull.

She quickly grabbed needle and slid it into the man's neck. She didn't need to watch, she knew he would die, drowning on his own blood. She turned to the next man ready to fight, but instead she saw 3 men beating Gendry down. He had his dagger out and had just managed to slit one of the attacker's throats as the other two came at him from a different angle.

Her blood boiled and she charged at them, but suddenly she was thrown down to the ground. Needle flying from her grasp. She desperately reached for it, but her hands were quickly captured and pulled back as a different man kicked her in the ribs.

Arya gasped in pain. When she looked back up he was standing over her.

The man that had killed Lommey.

Raff was staring down at her.

Gendry's screams filled her ears as Arya's world turned red.

AN: I hope this story will have plenty of chapters and there will be lots of Gendry and Arya to come. I already have half of the next chapter written, and will post it by the end of this week. PLEASE REVIEW and give me feedback. It means a lot =)


	2. Breaking

AN: There will be mature content (not a good kind) and language in this chapter. Be advised before you proceed to read. Also, I will be switching POVS within the chapter.

Disclaimer: It all belongs to GRRM!

**Arya **

Blood.

She wanted him to bleed. To choke on his own blood, as he had made Lommey.

Without thinking, she raised her leg and kicked Raff square in his privates. He hunched over in pain, as the man behind her pulled her arms back tighter making her grunt with pain.

Pain was nothing though. She hated him for what he did to her friend. For bringing them to that place, and she would always be haunted by the torture she had witnessed. She didn't care that he probably didn't remember her and Gendry.

Who knew how many innocents he had brought to that hell hole, each one of them blurring into the next. Raff was a man without honor.

As Raff was still bent over, she looked over at Gendry….he had overcome another of the men, and she noted the limp body in the dirt behind Gendry. Gendry may have been winning, but she could see he was hurt, he was covered in blood.

Too much blood for it not to have been his own.

Another sharp twist of pain ran through her body as Raff kicked her in the ribs again suddenly. "You filthy whore! Who the fuck do you think you! I'll show you little bitch!"

Then he kicked her again and again and Arya heard herself scream and she wanted to scream again, but could not find the air. She curled in trying to protect herself, but the man held her arms tight behind her, keeping her on her back.

Before she could move, Raff was kneeling on her, with his knees pinning her legs down and apart.

Without hesitation, she screamed, "No, get off me you filthy craven!" The man behind her ripped her arms back, smashing her head into the ground as she yelled.

Raff laughed and slapped her across the face, before continuing on and ripping off her shirt. She felt the coldness of the pendant that Gendry had made her as it remained on her flesh.

She struggled with all her might, but she was too constricted to do anything against them. She felt the cool air run across her exposed flesh, and she fought back the tears. "Aren't you a pretty little thing." Raff growled as he traced his filthy hands up her freshly bruised ribs and towards her chest.

"Get off me! I swear I'll kill you, I will. Get off!" Again, the man behind her slammed her body harder towards the ground. When she opened her eyes she saw stars dancing before her.

She wanted to cry….wanted to scream….wanted to kill him...to watch the blood pour from his body.

But she could barely move anymore. Her arms felt useless and her head was spinning. She was faintly aware of Raff grabbing at her breasts and moving to rip away her pants. She tried to struggle but made no progress.

She screamed again, but Raff only seemed more amused. He continued to laugh as he untied his trousers, pulling himself out of his constraints.

She could not help the tears that fell then. She did not want to give him the satisfaction of seeing her fear, but she could not control herself. Her body betrayed her as it trembled from fear and her tears fell. She was strong, but never before had she felt so weak.

All the men she had killed, and now here she was exposed and helpless, and with Gendry so close. A new wave of pain rode through her as she realized he could see her.

She shook with a different kind of sadness that she did not understand. All she knew was that she did not want him to witness her being taken in such a way.

Distantly she heard Gendry threatening them to get off her as he continued to fight the other man.

She wished it could have been anyone there but him. The thought inspired another fit of struggling as she continued to squirm and yell.

He was fully exposed now and she could feel him against her thigh. Raff climbed over her small frame leaning towards her ear to whisper, but before he could utter a word she tilted her face towards him and bit down on his ear. It was all she could imagine to do.

She tasted the metallic tang of blood, and felt the urge to release but she held on as Raff screamed and hit her to release his ear, but still she hung on. Then he was punching her in the stomach and the man behind her had released her arms in favor of trying to pull her face away from Raff.

After a moment she felt a tear and she realized she had bit off a chunk of Raff's ear. She could barely see straight and her own blood flowed down her face from the constant punching.

Raff pushed her back down and leaned back cupping his ear with his hands.

"You little fucking whore!" He screamed as he pulled out his sword pointing it at her chest.

She braced herself for death. She forced her eyes to remain open, to stare down her murderer.

Raff leaned forward to lunge at her, but was knocked sideways as Gendry tackled him. He was covered with blood and his shirt was slashed open in many places.

Raff's sword flew from his hands landing next to Arya, and as Gendry pummeled Raff with his bare hands she felt the other man rise from behind her to assist Raff. Without hesitation, Arya forced herself to act.

_What do we say to the God of Death boy….. _"Not today" she heard herself say.

She clutched the hilt of the sword and forced herself up. The other man did not see her for he was drawing his own sword to attack Gendry. He did not get a chance though because Arya quickly pierced him through the back.

She felt the blade slice through his muscles and tendons, cutting his flesh, killing him, and the other man fell facedown into the ground. Arya had never even seen his face, nor did she have any desire to. She did not need another face to haunt her dreams.

Gendry did not look up, and he did not stop hitting Raff even though Raff had stopped moving. His face was unrecognizable, and Arya knew Raff would never laugh again.

She stood there as Gendry continued to punch Raff screaming at the corpse he had beaten to death. Blood sprayed across Gendry's face and chest as he continued to attack.

It was a struggle, but Arya managed to open her mouth and speak, "Gendry…" she had said it so quietly that she wondered if he had even heard her. Suddenly, he stopped attacking the corpse, and she knew then that he had heard her.

She watched him breathe deeply and then push himself off the body. Slowly he turned around and stood, facing Arya.

She weakly brought her arm up to cover her chest. Shame filled her as she was embarrassed at what she may look like, naked except for her necklace, and how she had failed to fight them off of her. That she had needed to be saved.

She had always been independent and capable of protecting herself, but this time she could not determine her fate. She imagined what he must think of her, and she cast her eyes down, unable to bear his piercing gaze.

**Gendry**

He stepped forward then, his arm stretched out, as if he wanted to reach her, but stopped short in fear of scaring her more.

He felt broken and useless. How could he have let them get so close to taking her. Hearing her cries would haunt him forever, and killing Raff only took off a slight edge. Thank the Gods he had managed to make it to her just in time.

She stood there with blood splattered all across her body. Her arms were covered with scratches and cuts and bruised. Her lips were swollen and bloody and her face was covered with a mixture of dirt, blood and tears. Her chest was bruised and blood dripped down her ribs from where she had been kicked. She was covering herself with her hands and looked ashamed and sad. Only Arya would allow herself to feel at fault here, there was nothing she could have done. She fought and fought bravely, with more strength than most ladies would give.

She was amazing and strong and yet she stood there as if she were ashamed. He moved forward again slowly, trying not to scare her. He did not know how to handle this kind of situation. "Arya," he said quietly, "I won't hurt you, ok…."

Then she looked up at him and he saw annoyance flash in her grey eyes.

"Of course, I know you won't hurt me you stupid bull! Do I look that dense?!"

He could not help the small smile that came across his face then, and he stepped forward again. He gently lifted her chin up to make her look at him examining the swelling along her cheekbones. He met her eyes then. "I'm so sorry Arya."

He hated himself for not being faster, for not being stronger. Raff never should have got so close.

She trembled then, and he knew she was scared and cold. He pulled her against him, not caring she was naked and held her as her felt her hot tears fall on his chest. He felt her small hands tighten around his back and she shook letting her emotions out silently. She didn't make a sound other than to breath.

But he could feel her tears, feel her anger, and her pain, and he wanted to take it all away so she did not have to carry it any longer. Without thinking about it, he leaned his head down into her hair, breathing in her scent, and he pressed a soft kiss on her head, and muttered an apology again.

He felt her shaking stop and she pulled back a little and tilted her head so she was looking up at him.

She stared at him. Her grey eyes meeting his blue ones. They stared at each other, but continued to hold on to each, and suddenly she looked down at his arm and she brought her hand up to examine his shoulder.

"You're hurt" she said quietly. He took her hand in his, "It's nothing we can't fix easily enough, Arya. Let's go find Hot Pie and clean ourselves up and get out of here before any more of them come down the road."

She looked up at him, and he could see she was going to argue about his cut. He knew it would probably need some stitches, but she was the priority. She always thought of herself last, and he wouldn't have it. Not today.

"Are you ok to walk?" he asked and her glare was all the reply he needed. She was in pain, but she would not show it if she could help it. "Alright! Forget I asked!" He removed his shirt, even though it was ripped it was better than nothing, and hers was in tatters in the grass.

"What are you doing you idiot?" she questioned as she stepped back seemingly forgetting her exposure for a moment. They had been naked in front of one another before, bathing in streams and rivers along their journeys, but never had she looked so delicate.

His heart clenched as he gently placed the shirt over her head, and she followed suit pushing her arms through the holes. The shirt was large on her and fell off her shoulders, but it covered almost all of falling to her thighs. The slashes only revealed parts of her bruised stomach and ribs.

He quickly gathered searched the pockets of the corpses, taking their coins and weapons. He also grabbed his dagger and Needle. He looked at her again standing there and handed her Needle. He could see the relief overcome her face as the security of the little blade filled her with a sense of power.

"They had horses" she said. He nodded. Horses would help in making their journey to Riverrun, and they would also be good to trade with for a room at an inn for a night or two.

Together they slowly made their way back to where Hot Pie had jumped into the bushes.

"Hot Pie" he called, and slowly the flabby man crawled out of the shelter nature provided him with.

"I heard screaming….." he said quietly as his eyes scanned the two of them. "Arya, are you…"

She interrupted him, "I'm fine, Hot Pie. Did you see where they tied their horses? They'll be useful now."

Hot Pie opened his mouth and closed it repeatedly, fighting with himself to undoubtedly ask Arya what had happened, but the years had taught him better than to question her. He sighed and pointed to the east, "They rode ahead and then tied them there when I heard one of em' yell that they saw something."

They nodded and the three of them walked off in the direction Hot Pie pointed. They easily came across 5 horse, two of which were saddled with some supplies. Hot Pie eagerly dug into them finding jugs of water and some corn, bread, salted pork and potatoes in one and clothing in another. They were obviously not travelling a long journey, but regardless the resources would be useful.

Arya dug through the clothes finding a pair of pants and a fresh tunic and yanked them on, discarding his ripped shirt on the ground, he noticed that when she bent down to tuck the length into her shoes she winced, but said nothing.

Hot Pie spoke then, "I heard them saying there was a brothel up ahead. They were planning to stop there." Arya nodded, and said, "Maybe they'll let us use a room for a night then now that we have some coins to pay…"

He shook his head. She didn't need to stay in a brothel tonight, not after what she had just been through. "Arya," he began, but the look she gave him silenced him. "We've stayed at brothels before Gendry, why should now be any different?" She was challenging him to bring it up, to dare act like anything was different.

And in a way, nothing was different, she was still Arya. She was still strong and beautiful, wild and stubborn. She was the girl who hit him when he called her a lady, his friend that had cut his hair, and sloppily stitched his wounds, his comrade who had killed men as they tried to kill him. She knew his every thought and secret, and he knew hers. But then things felt different, he felt a rage he had never even known existed inside of him when he saw Raff rip her shirt off. When he heard her cry out as he touched her against her will. After all of their years he had never heard her cry in such a way. Never had he actually seen her afraid. He had hated Raff before, but after that, there was nothing but the raw desire to rip his throat out. He had felt anger not just because he was hurting his friend, but there was a part of him that felt possessive of her. He did not know where it had come from or even how long it had been there inside of him. He had always felt the need to protect her, but now he felt a possessive emotion. Like she was his, and he was hers and he wanted to kill Raff for even thinking that he could have her.

"Well.." she said impatiently interrupting his thoughts. He shook his head to clear away his thoughts and stared at her for a moment. He picked up his shredded shirt and poured some water on it. He walked towards her and gently began to wash her face clear of the dirt and blood. "Can't have you looking like you just came from a battle now can we? Not if we want them to let us stay a night."

She nodded in agreement and then after he was satisfied she took his shirt and washed his face free of blood for him. Then she dug into the bag on the horse and pulled out another shirt and tossed it to him to cover his cuts and bruises.

He had to help Hot Pie unto a pale white mare because of his size, and he helped Arya unto a chestnut colored stallion after she stubbornly tried it twice in obvious pain. Before getting on the mahogany stallion he planned to ride to the brothel, he tied the other two horses to each other and then behind Hot Pie's horse so that they could use them for trade later.

He road next to Arya, and Hot Pie trailed behind them, and they continued on their journey.

Occasionally he could hear Arya stifle a moan of pain. He was sure Raff had bruised her ribs badly and riding probably hurt, but she was too stubborn to do anything other than pretend she was fine.

They road in silence, and all he could think of was the feeling that she was his…..or at least he desperately wanted her to be…even though he knew he was just a bastard.

A/N: So I plan to update weekly, but I would love some reviews. The next chapter will probably be more emotional, and I plan to continue doing a variation of his/hers povs unless you guys hate it. So please let me know what you think =) Your reviews motivate me and encourage me to write, so please share your thoughts! I look forward to them! Until the next chapter then!


	3. Change

AN: This chapter is all Arya and next one will be Gendry!

Disclaimer: It all belongs to GRRM!

**Arya **

The ride took them a few hours, but to her it felt like the entire day. Her side ached from the ride, but she said nothing. All she wanted was to shut herself into a room and hide away from it all.

_Killing him should have been easy. How could I have let him get so close to me? _ Thoughts of her weakness flooded her mind. Thoughts of how he had touched her chest…how he had traced his hand up her thigh to her hips. How he had gotten to touch her in a way no man had ever touched her before.

_And Gendry had seen._

Another wave of pain invaded her and she had to choke back a cry. She did not understand why it hurt so much that he had been there. It hurt almost as much as having Raff assault her, but she could not rationalize why.

It hurt to think of what he may think of her now.

She knew he would die to protect her, as she would for him, but she had thought of him as a brother for so long. They protected each other without question, and he teased her as Jon and Robb had teased her. But now she felt differently. Somewhere along the roads and paths she had started looking at him differently.

When she looked at Gendry now she didn't feel like she was looking at a brother. This felt stronger and it controlled her in a way she did not like. She needed control, needed to be aware, but this feeling had overwhelmed her and left her weak. She felt unfamiliar in her own skin. When Gendry gazed at her she could feel her stomach coil almost unnervingly and she had not understood the feeling before, not until he had stared at her naked and bruised body.

She felt broken and useless, even though she wasn't actually broken. But still, she felt ruined as he stared at her, examining every bruise and cut.

Then he held her, and she released it all into his arms.

She shook with relief from being spared the cruelty of rape, with gratitude for him saving her, with pain for being hurt, with rage at Raff for thinking he could take something that was hers to give, but mostly she shook with anger that it had been Raff and not the man whose arms were wrapped around her exposed frame.

She had wanted Gendry to love her in that way, but she had never thought about it until it had almost been ripped away from her.

How could she ever think he would want her now? He had barely spoken to her as they rode the horses into town. She could see his stupid thoughts clouding his stupid face. He was thinking hard and it annoyed her.

Even Hot Pie was annoyingly silent. She didn't want to be treated differently. She wasn't a delicate little flower to tip toe around.

She was hurt, she may not want to admit it, but she knew Gendry did not need her to admit it to know. He could be stupid sometimes and he probably thought she was overcome with grief from the attack, how could she explain to him that, while it hurt, what hurt more was the idea that someone else could take it….without her having it the way she wanted…with him.

_What is wrong with me! _She thought, _since when did I become this whiny little girl drooling over a man. That's Sansa, not me. But is it really so wrong to want a man….and he isn't a lord or prince….he's a man. Different than the fluffy little idiots my sister drooled over._

And now they were on their way to a brothel where sex was in abundance. Women would be faking pleasure as horny and lonely men humped themselves into oblivion. A place where people bought love and affection…and she would never have any of that.

"Arya…" Hot Pie quietly spoke her name. "What?" She said sharply not realizing Gendry and him had stopped, and were now behind her.

"We're here." She quickly looked up and pulled the reins on the stallion back so he would halt.

She looked around at the building. There was a small fountain in front with exposed women lounging around it, some sitting by their lonesome and rubbing their breasts with their own hands while others sat in the laps of lonely men. She knew inside it would only be more obnoxious.

_Maybe Gendry was right about not coming here._

Gendry had already tied the horses down to posts and walked over to her wanting to help her down. "I'm fine stupid!" She lifted her leg over and started to slide down the horse, knowing jumping would hurt her more than she was willing to admit.

Still she felt his strong hands slide along her waist as he guided her to the ground regardless of her claim that she was fine. She didn't fight it though because at least he was touching her. Even if it was innocent, at least it was something. As soon as she was steadily on the ground he released her and moved to tie her horse to the post as well.

Hot Pie carried their supplies over his shoulder and Gendry tied the coin pouch to his breeches and together they walked over to her. "You sure about staying here tonight? I could look around, see how far an inn is from here…I'm sure there's one probably a few miles up."

"I am fine. The whorehouse will be cheaper than an inn, and we're less likely to run into trouble here anyway stupid. So can we just go in already?" She looked up at him then pleading with her eyes for him to just agree. An inn wouldn't cost much more, but she didn't want to ride anymore. She just wanted this day to end and for tomorrow to come.

No amount of travelling would erase that ache, and she was right….the brothel offered a shelter in a way…nobody came to the local whorehouse looking for bastard boys with a bulls helm or little lost ladies. However, people talked at inns…about who stayed and who they were with. Staying at inns was a luxury they seldom enjoyed.

When their journey had first begun, Gendry often insisted that she was a lady and he wouldn't allow her to stay in a brothel, but after one too many encounters with drunken fools at inns he had relented. She had hated him treating her as some fragile little lady and himself a dirty bastard. It had taken several beatings and arguments until he had seemed to realize that titles were just that, a title.

Now after 5 years he seldom acted like she was any different than him, except when he was feeling exceptionally moody or simply wanted to annoy her. Then he always seemed to remember she was lady.

She didn't want this experience to change that.

They walked into the brothel as a group. Colored curtains hung over the outer walls giving the room a red glow. Moaning and grunting could be heard from every corner as well, and naked women walked around without any shame.

"Well hello there….don't you three make for quite a little group..." A robust woman with red hair walked over to them with her eyes lingering on Gendry. She felt the familiar annoyance flush inside of her, as the woman gently placed her hand on Gendry's arm tracing the cut where blood from his wound had seeped through. "Seems you need some attention big fella….I could help with that.." she trailed her finger down to Gendry's chest.

Gendry had flushed red across his face and neck, and moved back so that the whore's hand no longer could reach him. "No..no. I'm… err. I'm alright, thank you anyways..." The whore smiled at his shyness, "Then what are you doing here, if it ain't for some attention? You look like a big strong man, I bet you're big all over." Her eyes travelled to Gendry's waist as she spoke.

She was shocked at the women's brazenness. This was her Gendry the woman was talking about, and anger flooded her mind. She saw Gendry turn even redder, and just as she was about to snap at the whore, he spoke.

"My name's Tom and this is Sarha, and Hot Pie." The lie came easily, as they had already used it so often. "We…we're actually just looking for a place to stay tonight….we have coin, and Hot Pie here is great in the kitchen and willin' to help." Gendry said gesturing to their friend. "We're heading North away from the war and…" She interrupted him then, "This isn't an inn….our rooms are for paying fellas."

"We have coin.." Arya heard herself say with more force than was necessary. The whore looked at her then, "Well, aren't you a pretty little thing Sarha…" she stared at her as if examining her. "You willing to work too little thing" Before she could reply, she heard Gendry growl out the word, "No."

The whore looked up at him then…..then back to Arya…and she smiled. "Don't worry tiger; I won't put your woman out then." Gendry's hands wrapped around her and he pulled her back into him. _Your woman, _she thought. She wanted to be annoyed, but she was too happy that he was touching her again.

The whore continued, smiling brightly. "Alright then, the name is Ros, 2 silvers and you 2 can stay upstairs in our spare room. It's small but it'll do for you two. We don't want any trouble here, and you're out tomorrow. No questions asked. You'll have to make your own fire and heat your own bath water, but there's a tub in there and a bed with blankets."

Glancing at them she added, "One of my girls will bring you up some clothes that fit, a pretty thing like you shouldn't hide such a body." Arya felt her face flush and she felt Gendry's hands tighten.

She gestured to Hot Pie then, "I'll show you to the kitchens, we could always use willing help in there, and there's a bed back there in the kitchen for ya as well."

Gendry quickly handed her 2 silver coins, and took their supply pack from Hot Pie, swinging it over his shoulder. Ros pointed them in the direction and reiterated that she wanted no trouble, and they'd be out if they caused any. Then she took Hot Pie off to the kitchen, with a dumb slobbery smile plastered across his face.

They quickly made their way up the stairs and through the halls of naked women and men in corners and loud moaning coming through the walls.

When they reached the last door they turned in and opened it. It was a simple, but cramped room. In one corner there was a decent sized bed with furs and blankets thrown across it. There were candles in one corner on a table. There were also kettles, jugs and pots on a small table beside the fire. A large tub sat in the corner across from the bed, and that was it.

Gendry shut the door and dropped their supply sack down, and Arya quickly dug into it looking for their supplies. Gendry immediately set to making a fire.

After the fire was done, Arya stood there smiling and pointed at the bed. "Take off your shirt and sit." She demanded. He looked at her with obvious fear. "Seriously, Arya it can wait…"

"I said sit." She left no room for question in her voice.

He obeyed, and she quickly filled a small pot with water and set it above the fire to heat. When it was warm enough, she dampened a rag and went to work on the cut on Gendry's chest. She stood in-between his legs and wiped away blood as she worked. Over the years, they had both stitched each other up enough times to do it blindfolded. "All done!" she said putting the needle and thread away quickly.

The stitches weren't that even, and she was sure she had stuck Gendry with the needle more times than was necessary, but he handled it with a few groans of pain.

The important part was that he was stitched up and the blood stayed inside instead of pouring out.

She looked at her work, "I'm getting better at this. Maybe this one won't scar so bad."

"Lucky me. I get to be your practice dummy." He said giving her an annoyed look.

"Shut up before I poke you with a real needle! You should be thanking me you stupid.."

He interrupted her tirade with laughter. She started laughing too then. She was no maester and she knew he would bare more scars due to her horrid medical skills than many other men.

"Thank you Arya." She smiled again then, staring at his piercing blue eyes. "I mean it, here we are. Both beaten and bruised and yet you," He placed his hands on her hips pulling her closer to him, and she felt herself stop breathing. She was so short that even with him sitting she barely had to look down to see his face. "You always find a way to take care of others before yourself. Your first thought is to stitch up the bastard."

A tiny part of her heart cracked, but she placed her hands gently on his chest instead of hitting him when he was sore. "You are not a bastard, Gendry. We know who your father is. Stop.."

"But I am Arya. We heard rumors about my parentage, but who knows if they're true. Even if they are true, I am still a bastard, and you're a lady…actually a Princess now with your brother proclaiming himself King in the North."

She moved her hands up towards his neck, and stepped closer to him forcing his hands to wrap around her waist.

"You aren't a bastard." She spoke gently now, feeling that delicious tightening in her stomach and she stepped closer so that her legs were hitting the bed.

"You are Gendry, just Gendry, the guy who beat that craven so he couldn't laugh anymore and hurt me. The guy who has saved me more times than I can count, the guy who knows everything about me, my best friend, just Gendry. And I'm just Arya. She leaned her head down so that their foreheads were touching.

_Oh my what am I doing…he is going to push me away…but those lips….those stupid lips…_

She felt his fingers had tighten on her back, and his breathing increased. She so badly wanted to lean down further. To push herself again his thick body, and feel him, all of him. She briefly wondered if he was _big all _over as Ros suggested, and she wondered what it would matter. She knew all about what men and women did, and she had seen his cock before, but never in that way…never in the way a man looked as he was going to be with a woman. She wanted to see him in that way, to feel him on her, beneath her, in her, but she was afraid.

She felt a moistness pool between her legs, and she rubbed her legs together unthinkingly. The friction just made her more frustrated, and she desperately wanted more.

He groaned softly and looked up at her. "Arya," He tilted his head up higher so that their lips were only inches apart, and his hands trailed higher towards her ribs as he gently tugged her down more. "If only everything was just that simple."

"It can be that simple Gendry, you just have to stop over thinking it."

They were so close now. She could feel his breath on her face, and she closed her eyes.

"Arya," he breathed her name like it was all he had, and then she felt his lips gently touch hers.

It was so gentle, but it made her insides swirl with a fire she had never known. Her head filled with images of him and how much more she wanted. Somehow she thought Gendry would be rough and fast, but this kiss touched her like a feather.

She felt him pull back, and she opened her eyes to look at him. His blue eyes had darkened and were clouded with a primal look, but he somehow looked unsure. Like he was afraid he had hurt her.

She smiled at him, and gently brought one of her hands to her lips. "That's what it's supposed to feel like then."

She saw something in his face crack, and then he quickly brought her face back down to his. His kiss was harder this time, and she felt herself kissing back just as forcefully. Without thinking about it she slid her tongue out to touch his lips. She wanted to be in him. She moved her hands along his chest and abs, loving the feeling of his body tensing as she traced him. He was all muscle, and it seemed to stretch everywhere.

He obliged and opened his mouth allowing her access, and she explored willingly. She heard him groan below her, and it made the wetness grow in-between her legs. Ignoring the small sting of her side, she moved forward crawling on top of him, and he pulled her against him.

She could feel his pants straining under what must have been his hardness as she sat on him. She had never seen him hard before, and before she unconsciously ground herself against him. The feeling was amazing and the fire intensified within her. His moan sounded delicious and she wanted to make him do it again, and she rhythmically began to grind herself against him.

The feelings were too much, and she felt herself wanting more. Images of Gendry loving her wiped away every thought about the day's earlier incident. She pushed herself against him harder as his lips left her lips to explore her neck. She gasped with pleasure as he nipped a small spot above her collarbone.

_Oh yes, yes this feels so good. More I need more._

He turned her quickly but gently so as not to cause her pain so that she was lying on the bed and he leaned above her. She looked up at him, and his blue eyes were hooded with lust. She reached up for him, "Gendry."

He quickly leaned down and kissed her softly on the lips, and pulled away, sitting himself up and away from her.

Her mind went blank wondering why he pulled away so quickly from her.

"What's wrong? Did I do something wrong? I thought that felt like it was supposed to…" she asked. She pushed herself up, but winched at putting the weight on her shoulder.

He looked at her then, his face looked pained. "You did absolutely nothing wrong, and it did. It felt better than I ever could have thought," He ran his hands through his coal black hair, "But after what just happened to you..and we're in a brothel…and Arya I can't just do that to you…even if you weren't a lady and I wasn't dishonoring you, I care about you way too much to do this here…for the first time….now…..I feel like I'm taking something without permission…"

She was annoyed now. "What happened back there Gendry is bound to happen again one day," His eyes darkened with anger, "Yes Gendry it will happen again, I hope it doesn't but reality is that it fucking will! Men will keep trying to hurt me simply because they can, and you won't always be able to save me. This.." she gestured between his body and hers, "This felt good….it actually made me forget about that craven touching me...but with you…it felt like what I always hoped it would feel like, and I don't want that stupid craven to make you treat me differently!"

She felt embarrassed laying it out there so bluntly, but she was frustrated with her want for him, and this felt like rejection even though he said he was enjoying himself for the first time…. _Was this his first time? _She found herself pondering his experience and what he had done with women before, but she was too shy to ask.

His face softened slightly. "I won't treat you differently Arya." He reached out and took her hand in his. "I promise I won't…. I just don't want to rush you and hurt you…I've wanted this for a long time, and when we find your brother I don't know what he plans for you, but I doubt it will include me, and I just want you to be safe."

_A long time…he's thought about me…about us. _ A new hope filled her then.

"Whatever my brother plans for me WILL include you Gendry, and if he dares to try to take you away or marry me off, then I'll leave. I won't stick around to be a pawn in this game." She held his hand tighter. "But this was all I've been thinking about doing for days, not the fighting part, but the, you know, the kissing part." She felt her face flush as she said that.

He smiled and leaned in kissing her again. The fire filled her body again, but he pulled away. _Damn his honor!_ She scowled at him as he laughed. "I'm happy to have been of service m'lady." She reached out and smacked his arm in annoyance.

He stood up laughing then, "Guess I'll heat us up some water then so you can wash if you want." She turned so she was looking at him. "Are you trying to say I smell?" That familiar smirk came across his face then, "Aye, m'lady, but I was trying to be respectful. Being that close to you was actually painful."

The tightening was still evident in his pants and she chose to ignore it, but she doubted that he was in pain. He was just trying to respect her…..she would show him how little she wanted to be respected by him. She couldn't help the smile that stretched across his face as she reached to punch him out. He just laughed at her hit. "You're the smelly bull here!" She felt the urge to stick her tongue out at him, but didn't.

He smiled at her for a minute, letting the silence fill their ears. Then he grabbed the jugs and went off to fill the tub.

She made her way to the bed and sat down. A small pain pierced her as she moved, but she was able to handle it. She watched as Gendry made his way about the small room, filling the tub with steaming water for her.

She knew a warm bath would feel good, especially since she was so sore, but there was a new feeling of frustration in her. She was unsatisfied and she knew he could fix that problem.

When he was finally done with the tub, he stood up and placed the jugs back on the table. He looked at her, "You first m'lady." Then he smiled that stupid smile she loved and hated so much at the same time.

She was too tired to fight him, so she just stood up and started untying the laces to the breeches she had swiped. She quickly kicked them off along with her boots, knowing he was watching her. Then she gently laid Needle on the table by the fire where Gendry was standing.

She moved to lift her shirt off Gendry gently placed his hand on hers stopping her, "What are you doing?" His voice was quiet, like a whisper. She shook his hand off, "Going to take a bath stupid. Isn't that why you filled the tub! You've seen me naked before stupid….plenty of times actually."

His breathing stopped and his eyes darkened again, "Arya," It came out low like a warning, and she liked it. It made her even wetter. She peeled her shirt off and climbed into the tub, moaning as the hot water surrounded her sore bones and muscles.

She looked over to him by the fire. The light from the fire made him look fierce and his features were sharpened attractively. The look in his eyes made her ache between her legs, and she vowed she would make him wear a shirt as little as possible if she could. His fists were clenched and his mouth was shut tight. He looked like a bull ready to charge her, and she could see his hardness straining against his pants.

She looked up at him innocently, as if nothing had just happened and lifted a wet rag towards him. "Gendry, would you mind coming over here and helping me? It seems my arms hurt too much, and I'd like to wash my back too."

She kept her game face on, refusing to show any emotion, as he slowly walked towards her.

**AN: Don't shoot me! Thank you so much for the amazing reviews! I appreciate each and every one. Sorry this was late, but I came down with a bug. It got pretty cold over here, and after all the heat we had lately. Then I had this chapter written for over a week, but wasn't sure if people would like it so here it is. Anyways I plan to write the next chapter all in Gendry's POV and then progress their relationship into my version of the story =)….soon they will be meeting Robb and what could possibly happen then!**

**Review please!**


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